National Aeronautics and
Space Administration

Washington, D C.
20546

NASA has completed its analysis of the Challenger operational recorder voice
tape. The enclosed transcript reveals the comments of Commander Francis
R.Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialist 1 Ellison S. Onizuka, and
Mission Specialist 2 Judith A. Resnik for the period of T-2:05 prior to launch
through approximately T+73 seconds when loss of all data occurred.  The
operational recorder is automatically activated at T-2:05 and normally runs
throughout the mission.  During the period of the prelaunch and the launch
phase covered by the voice tape, Mission Specialist 3 Ronald E. McNair,
Payload Specialist 1 S. Christa McAuliffe, and Payload Specialist 2 Gregory B.
Jarvis were seated in the middeck and could monitor all voice activity but did
not make any voice reports or comments.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE CHALLENGER CREW COMMENTS FROM THE OPERATIONAL RECORDER



CDR.....Scobee
PLT.....Smith
MS 1....Onizuka
MS 2....Resnik

The references to "NASA" indicate explanatory references NASA provided to the
Presidential Commission.)

Time              Crew            Crew
(Min:Sec).........Position        Comment


T-2:05............MS 2   Would you give that back to me?

T-2:03............MS 2   Security blanket.

T-2:02............MS 2    Hmm.

T-1:58............CDR    Two minutes downstairs; you gotta watch
                         running down there?
(NASA:   Two minutes till launch.)

T-1:47............PLT     OK there goes the lox arm.
(NASA:   Liquid oxygen supply arm to ET.)

T-1:46............CDR     Goes the beanie cap.
(NASA:   Liquid oxygen vent cap.)

T-1:44............MS 1     Doesn't it go the other way?

T-1:42............          Laughter.

T-1:39............MS 1     Now I see it; I see it.

T-1:39............PLT      God I hope not Ellison.

T-1:38............MS 1     I couldn't see it moving; it was behind the center
screen.
(NASA:   Obstructed view of liquid oxygen supply arm.)

T-1:33.  .........MS 2     Got your harnesses locked?
(NASA:   Seat restraints.)

T-1:29............PLT      What for?

T-1:28............CDR     I won't lock mine; I might have to reach 
                          something.

T-1:24............PLT       Ooh kaaaay.

T-1:04............MS 1      Dick's thinking of somebody there.

T-1:03............CDR       Unhuh.

T-59..............CDR      One minute downstairs.
(NASA:   One minute till launch.)

T-52..............MS 2     Cabin Pressure is probably going to give us 
                           an alarm.
(NASA:   Caution and warning alarm.  Routine occurrence during prelaunch).

T-50..............CDR      OK.

T-47..............CDR      OK there.

T-43..............PLT      Alarm looks good.
(NASA:   Cabin pressure is acceptable.)

T-42..............CDR      OK.

T-40..............PLT      Ullage pressures are up.
(NASA:   External tank ullage pressure.)

T-34..............PLT      Right engine helium tank is just a little bit low.
(NASA:   SSME supply helium pressure.)

T-32..............CDR      It was yesterday, too.

T-31..............PLT      OK.

T-30..............CDR      Thirty seconds down there.
(NASA:   30 seconds till launch.)

T-25............PLT        Remember the red button when you make a roll call.
(NASA:   Precautionary reminder for communications configuration.)

T-23............CDR         I won't do that; thanks a lot.

T-15..............CDR        Fifteen.
(NASA:   15 seconds till launch.)

T-6...............CDR        There they go guys.
(NASA:   SSME Ignition.)
                  MS 2       All right.
                  CDR        Three at a hundred.
(NASA:   SSME thrust level at 100% for all 3 engines.)

T+O...............MS 2       Aaall riiight.

T+1...............PLT        Here we go.
(NASA:   Vehicle motion.)

T+7...............CDR........Houston, Challenger roll program.
(NASA:   Initiation of vehicle roll program.)

T+11..............PLT        Go you Mother.

T+14..............MS         LVLH.
(NASA: Reminder for cockpit switch configuration change.
       Local vertical/local horizontal).

T+15..............MS 2       (Expletive) hot.

T+16..............CDR        Ooohh-kaaay.

T+19..............PLT        Looks like we've got a lotta wind here today.

T+20..............CDR        Yeah.

T+22..............CDR        It's a little hard to see out my window here.

T+28..............PLT        There's ten thousand feet and Mach
                             point five.
(NASA:   Altitude and velocity report.)

T+30............             Garble.

T+35..............CDR        Point nine.
(NASA:   Velocity report, 0.9 Mach).

T+40..............PLT        There's Mach one.
(NASA:   Velocity report, 1.0 Mach).

T+41..............CDR        Going through nineteen thousand.
(NASA:   Altitude report, 19,000 ft.)

T+43..............CDR        OK we're throttling down.
(NASA:   Normal SSME thrust reduction during maximum dynamic pressure region.

T+57..............CDR        Throttling up.
(NASA:   Throttle up to 104% after maximum dynamic pressure.

T+58..............PLT        Throttle up.

T+59..............CDR        Roger.

T+60..............PLT        Feel that mother go.

T+60............             Woooohoooo.

T+1:02............PLT        Thirty-five thousand going through one point five
(NASA:   Altitude and velocity report, 35,000 ft., 1.5 Mach).

T+1:05............CDR        Reading four eighty six on mine.
(NASA:   Routine airspeed indicator check.)

T+1:07............PLT        Yep, that's what I've got, too.

T+1:10............CDR        Roger, go at throttle up.
(NASA:   SSME at 104 percent.

T+1:13............PLT        Uhoh.


T+1:13.......................LOSS OF ALL DATA.